


The Beginning

by el3anorrigby



Series: A Growing Addiction [1]
Category: The Man From U.N.C.L.E. (2015)
Genre: Drabble and a Half, M/M, Oblivious Napoleon, Pre-Slash, Protective Illya
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-10-10
Updated: 2015-10-10
Packaged: 2018-04-25 18:04:12
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,258
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4970992
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/el3anorrigby/pseuds/el3anorrigby
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A little outtake based on the Movie. The team is on their way to Istanbul and Illya and Napoleon have a chat.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Beginning

They are at the airport waiting to depart Rome. As he watches the throngs of people in the departure hall, Illya's mind wanders. He recalls that pivotal moment in Napoleon's hotel room earlier. Napoleon's stance had been all wrong and Illya had somehow known he wasn't reaching for his gun. And Illya was glad he had followed his instinct. It would have been terrible if he had taken the shot because he would not have been able to forgive himself. Truthfully, he didn't even want to kill Napoleon. He sighs. It's going to take a lot of effort to figure out that man. His infuriating manner and charming smile do strange things to his insides and it frustrates him to no end. 

"So are you okay with this new arrangement?"

Illya turns to look at the woman sitting beside him. Gaby Teller is another character he'll have to figure out real soon. They had hit it off well, he even felt an odd attraction for her, but what she'd done, jeopardising their cover during the mission had been a little hard to take. It felt like an outright betrayal to Illya. And now, the two of them together with Napoleon, are thrust together and he wonders what the future has in store for them. 

"Illya, are you listening? Are you okay with Waverly's arrangements?"

He nods at Gaby's question. "I'm here, am I not? I have to be okay with it."

"And Solo?" 

Illya regards her for a moment before answering, "He'll be fine." 

Illya's not entirely certain, he cannot speak for Napoleon, but he is determined to make their partnership work despite their rocky start. 

"Do you trust, Solo?"

That question from Gaby strikes a rather bad nerve in Illya. His eyes narrow instantly at the woman hiding behind the large sunglasses. He growls his answer, his accent thick. "I think I trust him better than you at this moment."

He is of course referring to her seemingly betrayal of them. If he had been late finding him, it would have cost Napoleon his life, what uncle Rudi had planned to do to him. He wonders if Napoleon's had the chance to let her know what had happened. Gaby, however, doesn't appreciate what he's implying and glares at him, lowering her sunglasses. "Now that's a little unfair, Illya. I had to do it for the mission." 

He looks away and mutters. "He saved my life when he didn't need to, risked his life to save yours and he certainly did not betray me. To answer you, I trust him with my life." 

Gabby winces because Illya's words hurt. She leaves him in a huff. He simply lets her go, stares at her retreating back. He knows he'd been hard on her but he's not sorry. In fact, he'd surprised himself at the intense way he had defended Napoleon. It even worries him slightly. He then decides he needs to talk to the American. There is something he needs to tell him. 

***

They are now on their way to Istanbul. The plane's been airborne for over an hour when Napoleon's quiet moment alone is interrupted by Illya who takes a seat opposite of him. Their knees brush together in the rather confined space but both men seem not to mind the contact. 

"Cowboy."

"Peril," Napoleon acknowledges him. 

He hasn't talked to Illya since they left the hotel. Napoleon had wanted to be alone with his thoughts after Waverly had dropped the bombshell. And now, here Illya is and Napoleon waits a second or two, regards the man he'd worked with for the past week or so and wonders what's going on in his mind. He hasn't consider Illya a friend, not yet, because there is still so much he needs to learn about the man. Despite that, he feels at ease around his company. 

"Where's Teller?" Napoleon asks, going for formalities.

"Back of the plane, with Waverly. Discussing mission."

"Right, she's his right hand person."

There's still animosity in Napoleon's tone but Illya doesn't blame him. He tries to ease the tension.

"It's understandable. He's known her the longest among us," he says, being diplomatic. 

He is still trying to wrap his head around the idea of them working together for UNCLE. But Illya takes this as his best option, it's definitely better than going back to the KGB, especially after what they'd done, burning the wanted disc, directly disobeying their superiors' orders, but he feels Napoleon might not have been too thrilled about the entire thing. He's been evasive about it. Illya makes his thoughts known.

"I think somehow you're not happy with this UNCLE arrangement?"

Napoleon's a bit taken aback at Illya's bluntness. He tries to read him, but fails. He's a much better spy than him of course as he'd made his discontentment a little too obvious for Illya to have noticed.

"I told you before, Peril. I work best alone. Certainly hadn't expected this," Napoleon explains, then looks away, stares out the plane window. "Now there are a lots of things for me to consider."

"Like what?"

Napoleon eyes Illya again. "I'd have to consider you and Gaby. I can't be a selfish bastard even if I want to when I go on missions. Risks are greater. After working alone for so long, it's gonna be a little hard to adjust. You get what I'm saying, Peril?"

Something warms Illya's heart. Despite his smug and cocky demeanour, Cowboy is not so bad after all. 

"I understand, Cowboy."

"Good, at least you do."

Illya tries to lighten up the mood.

"But at least this leash on you will not be so bad like before."

Napoleon laughs at that and raises an eyebrow. "Not so short man holding it?"

The twinkle in Napoleon's eyes and his smile makes Illya's heart do a small leap. He shakes his head as he ignores the strange sensation he is feeling. His fingers goes to his wrist, touches his father's watch. Then he says what he'd been meaning to say ever since they left Rome. "I never thanked you for returning my father's watch." 

Napoleon smiles. "Just make sure you don't lose it again. I can't keep an eye on it all the time, Peril."

Illya suddenly leans forward and their conversation takes a serious turn. "Cowboy, in Rome, you know I was going to shoot you. And yet you returned my watch. You gambled. Why?"

Napoleon's not sure why he has to justify his actions but he could see what he has to say matters to Illya. And Napoleon strangely, to his surprise, wants to appease the Russian.

"I took a chance, Peril. I didn't think you'd do it, I didn't think you'd shoot me. And my instinct was right. And I know how much that watch means to you. It'd be a shame not to let you have it back. 

Illya nods. He's glad he has cleared that out with Napoleon.

"Thank you again, Cowboy."

"You're most welcome, Peril."

"Let's hope this will work for us," Illya says then before getting up. As he is about to walk to his seat, Napoleon tugs at his sleeve, smiles and says, "We'll make it work."

Even in the dim light Illya can make out the blue in Napoleon's eyes. He finds that trait of Napoleon a distraction he can definitely do without. Little does he know, that distraction is what he will crave for. It will become his addiction. 

At that point in time, he just doesn't know it yet.

**Author's Note:**

> In the movie, they don't show Gaby apologising/ addressing Napoleon after what happened with uncle Rudi and I feel Like I'd write it here in this little fic. And Illya always seem sweet to her but I'd like to think he'd defend Napoleon when necessary.


End file.
